Rail bond



June 12, 1934. R. 1.. CAIRNCROSS RAIL BOND Filed Nov. 8, 1930 2 Sheets-Sheet l [I I: r. \Wwm M ATTORN INVENTOR Min/.-

MIA/I EY s Patented June 12, 1934 UNlTED STATES PATENT OFFICE RAIL BOND Application November 8, 1930, Serial No. 494,275

7 Claims.

This invention relates to a novel and improved form of rail bond, the novel features of which will be best understood from the following dey scription and the annexed drawings, in which I have shown selected embodiments of the invention, and in which:

Fig. 1 is a fragmentary sectional view through a splice bar at a rail joint, being taken on the line 1-1 of Fig. 2;

Fig. 2 is a fragmentary vertical elevation of the side of two adjoining rails at a joint having my bond applied thereto, the splice bar being omitted;

Fig. 3 is a section on the line 3-3 of Fig. 2;

Figs. 1 and 5 are detailed views showing means for securing bonding wires to the bonding members;

Fig. 6 is a view corresponding to Fig. 1 and showing a modified form of the invention, the rail here being shown in full section;

Fig. "1 is a section on the line 77 of Fig. 6.

Referring first to Figs. 1 to 5, inclusive, I have indicated therein two adjoining rails 1 and 2 having their ends disposed adjacent each other at the joint 3. The two rails may be secured together by a pair of splice bars or angle bars, one of which is shown at 4 in Fig. 1. It is, of course, understood that these bars are provided with the usual holes through which pass bolts received in registering holes in the webs of the rails, all in the usual manner.

Beneath one of the splice bars is disposed my improved form of bond, here shown as comprising two metallic members 5 and 6. The mem- 35 her 5 has its right-hand end, as viewed in Fig. 2,

provided with a plurality of teeth 7, while similar teeth 8 are provided on the opposite end of the member 6, these teeth forming a serrated end in each instance. The members 5 and 6 are spaced 4O apart at 9, so that each may act freely of the other, and the end of each member opposite the serrated ends is rounded as indicated at 10.

Connecting the two members 5 and 6 are bonding wires, here shown as two in number. Each 45 piece 11 of the wire has its ends received between lugs 12 on the inner face of the member to which that end is secured. Referring to Fig. 4, it will be seen that the wire is placed between these lugs which are initially in a spaced position such i as shown in that figure, and after that the two lugs are bent inwardly to some such position as shown in Fig. 5, this providing an easy method of securing the wire in place and forming proper contact between the member and the wire. The

bonding wires are each shown as provided with a loop to permit free movement between the various parts, during which movement the wire in the loops will flex, in a manner well known in the art.

The members 5 and 6 are preferably steel or other suitable metal and are also preferably formed as springs and curved somewhat as shown, with the distance between the web of the rail and and the outside of the member somewhat greater than the normal distance between the web of 5 the rail and the corresponding inner surface of the splice bar. By this arrangement, when the splice bar is tightened, the serrated ends of the members are caused to bite into the steel of the rail web, a certain amount of give for the member being provided by the sliding engagement of the other end of the member. As expansion and contraction take place in the track of which the rails form a part, the serrated end of each member will fixedly engage the web of one rail, while the other end of the same member will slidably engage the web of the other rail. At the same time, the two members are electrically connected together by means of one or more bonding wires, I so that a proper electrical connection from one rail to the other is provided, this connection being through the two serrated ends and the bonding wire.

By the above arrangement, it is also evident i that it is unnecessary to drill the rail as is now customary, and, at the same time, the bond is entirely covered so as not to be damaged. As pointed out above, the bond is of such construction that it may readily give to allow expansion and contraction of the rails without endangering the bond.

Referring now to Figs. 6 and '7, I have shown a similar arrangement in which similar parts will be given similar numerals, and therefore it is not deemed necessary to repeat the description of such parts. In this form, however, the rounded end 10 of each member is formed by bending the end inwardly instead of outwardly as in the first described embodiment. In this form, the serrated ends are formed by bending the teeth 13 .1 0 so that they lie in two parallel rows instead of k in one row as in the other embodiment. In other respects, the bonds in both embodiments are closely similar and operate in the same manner.

While I have shown the invention as applied to 1 5 a certain type of rail joint commonly known as the continuous type, and while I have shown other details in great particularity, it is to be understood that these details may be varied within Wide limits without departing from the scope of the invention, and that the invention may be used with other types of joints. One specific detail which may be changed is the method of at tachment of the bonding wires 11. While the 5 illustrated form of attachment is quite efiicient,

it is, of course, to be understood that the wires may have their ends soldered or welded, or otherwise secured, to the members 5 and 6. Similarly, other details may be changed without departing from the scope of the invention.

I claim:

1. A rail bond comprising two metallic members extending over a rail joint, each of said members having one end embedded in a rail on one side of the joint and the other end slidably engaging the rail on the other side of the joint, and bonding wire connecting said members.

2. A rail bond comprising two metallic members extending over a rail joint, each of said members having one end serrated and engaging a rail on one side of the joint and the other end slidably engaging the rail on the other side of the joint, and bonding wire connecting said members.

3. A rail bond comprising two metallic members extending over a rail joint, each of said members having one end provided with teeth embedded in a rail on one side of the joint and having the other end rounded and slidably engaging the rail on the other side of the joint, and bonding wire connecting said members.

' 4. A rail bond comprising two metallic members extending over a rail joint, each of said members having one end serrated and engaging a rail on one side of the joint and the other end slidably-engaging the rail on the other side of the joint, and bonding wire connecting said members, said members being formed of spring material and disposed beneath a splice bar and so constructed and arranged that upon tightening of the splice bar said serrated end will be forced into the metal of the rail.

5. A rail bond comprising two metallic members extending over a rail joint, each of said members having one end provided with teeth embedded in a rail on one side of the joint and having the other end rounded and slidably engaging the rail on the other side of the joint, and bonding wire connecting said members, said members being formed of spring material and disposed beneath a splice bar and so constructed and arranged that upon tightening of the splice bar said serrated end will be forced into the metal of the rail.

6. A rail bond comprising two metallic menubers extending over a rail joint and contacting with the rails on opposite sides of the joint, one end of each member slidably engaging the rail with which it contacts, means preventing movement of the other end of each member with respect to the rail with which it contacts, and '2 bonding wire connecting said members.

'7. A rail bond comprising two metallic members extending over a rail joint and contacting with the rails on opposite sides of the joint, one end of each member being rounded and slidably engaging the rail with which it contacts, means preventing movement of the other end of each member with respect to the rail with ice which it contacts, and bonding wire connecting said members. ROBERT L. CAIRNCROSS. 

